Observation:
All of the classes were in the beginning stages of making their soda bottle aquariums. In the beginning of class students came into the classroom and took their science starter and began working quietly. When everyone was done the teacher went over the worksheet and then explained to the students how they were going to make their aquariums. The teacher put the materials needed for their activity on the counters on the side of the room and taped a set of directions to each table where two pairs of students would be working. The teacher quickly ran through the instructions showing students where they could find their materials and then allowed them to get to work. For the remainder of the class she and I walked around the room making sure that students were on task and answering questions. However, during this work time there was little work being done. Since the students had the freedom to go about the room looking for the supplies they needed some of them got side tracked and began talking to other students or just fooled around with the supplies. The teacher had to stop the class several times to get them back on track. For the students who finished their set up first the teacher put out a word search for them to do as extra credit. Many of the students who finished early decided to sit around and talk instead of doing the word search. This observation was identical to the two other periods I observed after this class. Once the students were free to begin the activity thats when they started to become off task because they spent more time talking then doing work.
Reflection:
During this activity I think that the teacher could have planned and set up the activity a little better. By having the materials set up on the side of the classroom it requires the students to have to leave their seats in order to get materials and that’s when they become off task. Although it may have required more work on the teacher’s part, I would have had all the materials needed for the class already set up at the tables that the students were working on. This way the students would not need to leave their seats for any reason and they would have spent more time on task instead of talking to others and fooling around. It would have also kept the class more organized and made it easier for the teacher and me to go around to each table. I understand that the teacher probably thought that they students were capable of getting their own supplies but I think that when it comes to these activities where lots of materials are needed sometimes it is just easier and better if they are already set up for the students before they walk in to class. I also think that if the materials were set up in advance the activity wouldn't have taken the entire period. If the students were on task for most of the time they probably would have finished with enough time left in the period where they could have all worked on the extra credit assignment.
6th grade science
Observation:
All of the classes were in the beginning stages of making their soda bottle aquariums. In the beginning of class students came into the classroom and took their science starter and began working quietly. When everyone was done the teacher went over the worksheet and then explained to the students how they were going to make their aquariums. The teacher put the materials needed for their activity on the counters on the side of the room and taped a set of directions to each table where two pairs of students would be working. The teacher quickly ran through the instructions showing students where they could find their materials and then allowed them to get to work. For the remainder of the class she and I walked around the room making sure that students were on task and answering questions. However, during this work time there was little work being done. Since the students had the freedom to go about the room looking for the supplies they needed some of them got side tracked and began talking to other students or just fooled around with the supplies. The teacher had to stop the class several times to get them back on track. For the students who finished their set up first the teacher put out a word search for them to do as extra credit. Many of the students who finished early decided to sit around and talk instead of doing the word search. This observation was identical to the two other periods I observed after this class. Once the students were free to begin the activity thats when they started to become off task because they spent more time talking then doing work.
Reflection:
During this activity I think that the teacher could have planned and set up the activity a little better. By having the materials set up on the side of the classroom it requires the students to have to leave their seats in order to get materials and that’s when they become off task. Although it may have required more work on the teacher’s part, I would have had all the materials needed for the class already set up at the tables that the students were working on. This way the students would not need to leave their seats for any reason and they would have spent more time on task instead of talking to others and fooling around. It would have also kept the class more organized and made it easier for the teacher and me to go around to each table. I understand that the teacher probably thought that they students were capable of getting their own supplies but I think that when it comes to these activities where lots of materials are needed sometimes it is just easier and better if they are already set up for the students before they walk in to class. I also think that if the materials were set up in advance the activity wouldn't have taken the entire period. If the students were on task for most of the time they probably would have finished with enough time left in the period where they could have all worked on the extra credit assignment.